N 



i 



A. ACCIPITERS IN =17) 



B PASSERINES and SWIFTS i N = 7 I 



o 



Fig. 



C. BARN SWALLOWS IN=4I 



Arriving and departing flight directions for birds seen on cruise track 

 segments 8-19 of R/V Akademik Korolev, 26-29 Oclober 1988. 



that the raptors were opportunistically using our stationary ship 

 for perching, roosting, hunting, and eating. When the ship was 

 moving under power, however, none of the raptors perched for 

 any extended period, and none roosted on the ship. 



From all available evidence, it seems most likely that the 

 birds we encountered were a small part of what must be a 

 si/able wave of fall migrants on their way across the South 

 China Sea. The configuration of the land masses suggests that 

 the point of departure for these birds was the southern tip of 

 Indo-China; however, further land-based research is needed to 

 substantiate the point of origin and destination of birds crossing 

 the South China Sea to Borneo. Additional work at sea will also 

 be helpful in determining the timing and magnitude of the 

 migration, as well as corridor w idth. Work on islands in the 

 South China Sea or stationary platforms may substitute in part 

 for the at-sea studies, but it is also important to determine body 

 condition of birds arriving in the Greater Sunda Islands. 

 Intensive banding operations in Vietnam, at sea. and in Borneo 

 could reveal much about survival rates and all other aspects of 

 this little-known migration route. 



This project was part of the First US-USSR Joint Pacific 

 Expedition to the Pacific Ocean and South China Sea. We express 

 appreciation to the agents of both governments who made our 

 participation possible. We especially thank Professor Alia V. Tsyban 

 (Chief Scientist). Harold J. O'Connor (Director. Patuxent Wildlife 

 Research Center and US organizer of the expedition ). Captain Oleg A. 

 Rostovtsev, and our many Soviet friends whoenhancedourenjo) ment 

 of the trip. Joe Marshall and Ralph Browning assisted in specimen 

 identification at the Smithsonian Institution. Linda J. Miller. Cath) 

 Ellis, and Bonnie Fancher assisted greatly in data handling and 

 manuscript preparation. 



The following people commented on an earh version of this 

 manuscript and thereby compensated for our inexperience w ith the 

 birds of the South China Sea region: H. Elliott McClure. Duncan 

 Parish. Philip D. Round. Lucia Liu Severinghaus. and David R. Wells. 

 We appreciate additional editorial comments from Mark R. Fuller. 

 George F. Gee. and Gary H. Heinz. 



252 



